Monday, February 25, 2013

GEORGE BURNS: AN ETERNAL SUNSHINE BOY

Imagine you're at the doors of the Pearly Gates, facing your maker, and
God requests that you justify your existance to prove you are worthy of
entering heaven. If you've lived over one hundred years and your name
is George Burns, you might have quite a mouthful
to say.

Waterbury's Seven Angels Theatre will let you sit in on Mr. Burns'
heartfelt confessions in a delightful and sincere one man play by Rupert
Holmes entitled "Say Goodnight Gracie," the line he always ended his
routines with his partner and wife Gracie Allen.
The show runs until Sunday, March 10.

Don't miss R. Bruce Connolly's wonderful interpretation of this beloved
comedian, with his trademark cigar, a twinkle in his eye, a witty quib
and a self-deprecating smile. One of twelve children, the son of a coat
presser and cantor in the synagogue, born
Nathan Birnbaum in the lower East Side of New York in a tenement in
1897, he found himself trying to support the family at the age of seven
when his father died.

In his vaudeville days, he changed his stage name as frequently as he
changed his underwear and he didn't find any success until he teamed up
with a petite pretty Irish Catholic girl with a funny voice and a unique
sense of humor named Gracie Allen.

Their comedy act, which he explains was based on "illogical logic," took
them prominently from vaudeville to radio to the stage and to
television. They talked, with George asking Gracie, "so how's your
brother?" and Gracie answering with convoluted tale that
lasted 22 minutes.

Their song and dance routine endured their whole married life, until
Gracie's health problems forced her retirement. Now, after a century on
this earth, George Burns justifies his place of prominence on this
planet, dropping the names of his good friends
like Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Duarante, in case God is
impressed, and hopscotching happily through nine decades in show
business. R. Bruce Connolly captures the spirit and heart of the man
and shines a mirror on his soul, with a little soft shoe
and a song. Semina DeLaurentis directs this homage to George Burns with
an affectionate hand.